7-10pm. Grab a friend a bottle of something fun & an appetizer to share and come "Wine Down" at the farm. $30 per person. Includes canvas & paints. Variety of subjects to select from or go... freestyle baby! call farmer sue if you want to join in!

Come meet all the animals, hop a hayride & make some great art. Spring is in the air, the grass is green, 4 leaf clovers are popping up everywhere and the new chicks are chirping like crazy. Get your CAMERA and get on over here!!!

Soon as the daffodils pop we get chilly willy weather - the snowflakes on saturday did look like glitter coming down in the barnyard. I have to admit the multiple snows 2 years ago gave me enough of a thrill that I can still wait a little longer for snow.

Last weeks warm weather did allow me to finish out all the new raised beds on the pasture end of the garden & I'm proud to say i built them all myself -- and did not even whack my thumb 1 single time - woowhoo.

We got all the strawberry plants transferred to their new beds and filled the other with fresh compost - and wow that stuff was beautiful - almost a year & 1/2 old --

with the chilly weather sending me back inside - I finally got my seeds ordered - loads of heirloom tomatoes & more. I went a little crazy and order more asparagus (3yr stock) hopefully my bed will sprout some great numbers this year since they are now 3 years old. They never made it to the table... we stood right there in the garden and gobbled them down - yummy. crunchy. delish. i want more more more.

Looking forward to a great day on the farm tomorrow - monday - happy birthday Abe & George! We have lots of friends coming out to celebrate in the sunshine.

ok, i'm gonna try my best to get more farm n garden pix up here this year along with art and other fun stuff.

It is Thursday Nov. 15th. Wow as I look at the Cow-lendar I have such mixed emotions. We are winding down a little in one way and ramping up in another. October was crazy busy -- 1 day off in 31 -- all good -- all smiles.

Last Saturday when I was taking the day off - LOL - one of my farmtastic photographer friends Ashley Blencoe was out shooting family portraits and asked what I was doing as I was pulling everything out of the store room & ripping thru the garden... I said well it is my first real day off and I just wanted to get in the dirt and get organized. She laughed. Her Client laughed and they both said... oh sister you need some re-programming! A day off after a month like yours deserves a day at the spa, get your nails done, your hair done, or get a massage!

I just smiled... that dirt. this dirt. this tiny little farm is my everything. it holds me together. it keeps me grounded. it gives me focus. it gives me purpose. it is my world.

I love love love the art my peeps do in class at school and here at TheArtBarn and would love to see YOU use it for holiday gifts, birthdays and more.

Super easy to do with my favorite company: VISTAPRINT.com -- I am a graphic designer by trade for oh.... 20+ years before becoming FARMER SUE - the luckiest girl in the world (thanks to you and your peeps) and I love this company - they offer every type of product you could slap an image on to and their prices are far better than anybody else I've found.

First find an awesome or as we say around here FARM-tastic piece of ART you love from your amazing artist/peep. Shoot it with your phone or digital camera and follow my instructions below. You may not even need my directions - but they are here for back up if you get lost in the process online -- the guys at Vistaprint.com are in Jamaica & I love chatting with them - they will jump in and help you at any point -- just call the 1-800 number.

You can create 5x7 glossy folded note cards, with your childs art on the front. blank interior (or add a message) and finish out with a cute pix of your child on the back with name age etc and title of work.

I just ran thru the entire process below. Takes maybe 30 mins or less. 100 cards cost $68 plus shipping and they come with envelopes. You can replace the white envelopes with colored ones from one of the Office Supply companies. Just tie them up with raffia or a ribbon and you are ready to go!

VISTAPRINT. com

first. shoot your artwork with your digital camera or phone, email it to yourself at a higher resolution (dont go more than 1mg)

open it an name it on your desk top.

go to vistaprint.com

select HOLIDAY CARDS there is a vertical & horizontal version. select which one fits your art best. (pears of course are vertical for my amazing friends at school who just painted these)

This Sunday Sept. 23rd from 3:30-6:00. We will be working on putting a canvas top on our hayride to turn it into a Covered Wagon. Make a LIST of what you would bring if you were on the trip. We will be whipping up some butter - seriously - Farmer Sue just got an antique butter churn - wooden paddle and all -- we are gonna be BUSY. We've always got room for more friends. $40 Parent Child Combo. Drop offs ok. Call Farmer Sue for more Details -- 678-319-0286

Lets get started with Saturday Sept. 1stBarnyard Meet & Greet from 12:30-3:30

lots of time to snuggle, pet & brush your favorite barnyard buddy, Make some ART of course, and hop a hayride! Bring a picnic to enjoy under the magnolias. Rsvp to farmer sue if possible: 678-319-0286 or email me!

cost: $10 per person. $5 hand led pony rides

MORE SEPTEMBER FUN:

Saturday September 8th: HORSE & PONY WORKSHOP 9am-Noon

Come celebrate Farmer Sue's birthday doing what she loves most...Hanging out with friends, ponies and making art! Meet all the horses on the farm and learn about caring for them. Learn about grooming and what each brush is for. We will even give some bubble baths! Check out both English & Western Saddles and give each a try as you learn how to cinch them up. Check out some of the bling for both English & Western riding apparel. Learn how to hold your reins & sit properly in the saddle. We will take a little walk & jog on lead line. (please bring your riding or bike helmet)We will make a great horsey art project & everybody will take home a horse shoe!Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy & Farmer Sue will share birthday cupcakes!Limited space for this workshop: 12 friends max. cost: $65 for the morning

Pack a picnic & treat your mom to a special day. Bring your cameras for great fall shots. Farmer Sue will have some super special things going on (several crafty friends will have artwork & wares for sale) more details to come. And of course all your barnyard buddies will be out for snuggling. we'll have time for an Art project and lots of hayrides. (hand led ponies $5 xtra)Cost: $10 per person. (moms free) rsvp appreciated

and finally - LITTLE HOUSE BOOK CLUB KICKS OFF!

6 Sunday afternoons filled with Laura Ingalls' Wilder Tales, Arts, Crafts, Sewing, Prairie style cooking, Campfires, Quilting & more. A great way to share a wonderful set of books that have been loved for more than 2 generations. Limited space.

it has been so great to have a little break in the weather! This summer was non stop fun and now that we have a couple of weeks before the Fall Field Trips & Farm Days kick in I am trying to knock a few things off my to do list.

here is just a start

x repaint all the picket fences on the farm.

(i looked like casper the ghost when i was done - but the fences look great.

x add in lots of new black eyed susans to the front since last years planting did so good.

x scrub the duck tank and put toppers on all the little tanks so my duck friends

won't swim in everybody elses water

x fix the roof on the chicken house in the friendship garden -- now the girls are happy!

We have a private party from 10-12 and will open the farm up right afterwards from 12:30 to 3:15 so you can share some farm fun with your DAD. Moms & Kids have been having a blast at the farm all summer longDADS now is your chance to get on over and have some farm fun with your cute peeps.